Apple does a Jio with TV+, offers content subscription at Rs 99 per month
With over 1.4 billion active installed base of devices globally and millions in India - iPhones, iPads, Apple TV, Macs, iPod touch and more - Apple has finally flexed its muscles to take on content streaming giants like Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime and Disney with aggressive pricing, free offers and all-original stories. The announcement of a much cheaper Apple TV + subscription than expected (Rs 99 a month in India and $4.99 in the US and other countries) immediately saw shares of Netflix, Disney and Roku tumbling down as Apple, which has nearly $210 billion cash at its disposal, has sensed the mammoth streaming opportunity that lies ahead and is going to open its coffers for creating more originals, even in regional languages. Indians today spend 30 per cent of their phone time and over 70 per cent of mobile data on entertainment and movies are their preferred choice on smart TV and larger screens. An over-the-top (OTT) viewer in India is spending approximately 70 minutes a